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The U.S. state ofOregon has 27official emblems, as designated by theOregon State Legislature. Most of the symbols are listed in Title 19, Chapter 186 of theOregon Revised Statutes (2011 edition).[1] Oregon's first symbol was themottoAlis Volat Propriis, written and translated in 1854.Latin for "She Flies With Her Own Wings", the motto remained unchanged until 1957, when "The Union" became the official state motto.Alis Volat Propriis became the state motto once again in 1987. Originally designed in 1857, usage of theOregon State Seal began after Oregon became the 33rd state of the United States on February 14, 1859. The motto and seal served as Oregon's only symbols until over 50 years later, when theOregon-grape became thestate flower in 1899. Oregon had six official symbols by 1950 and 22 symbols by 2000. The newest symbol of Oregon isbrewer's yeast, declared the state microbe in 2013.[2]
While some of the symbols are unique to Oregon, others are used by multiple states. For example, theNorth American beaver is also thestate animal ofNew York, and theChinook salmon (sometimes known as the king salmon) is also thestate fish ofAlaska.[3][4] Thesquare dance and milk are commonly usedstate dances andstate beverages, respectively.
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag | Flag of Oregon | Oregon'sflag is navy blue with gold lettering and imagery, and is the only current flag in the U.S. to have adifferent pattern on the reverse side. The obverse depicts thestate seal with "STATE OF OREGON" displayed above and "1859" displayed below (the year Oregon was admitted to The Union). The reverse depicts a beaver in the center.[5] | 1925 | .svg) | [1] [6] |
| Motto | Alis Volat Propriis | Latin for "She Flies With Her Own Wings",Alis Volat Propriis was the motto of Oregon from 1854 until it was changed to "The Union" in 1957. Written by JudgeJesse Quinn Thornton, the original motto was adopted once again by the 1987 Legislature. | 1987 1854–1957 |  | [7] |
| Seal | Oregon State Seal | In 1857, a resolution adopted by theOregon Constitutional Convention authorized the president to appoint a committee consisting of Benjamin F. Burch,La Fayette Grover andJames K. Kelly to design a new seal to be used once statehood was achieved. Harvey Gordon designed the seal, though additions were added through committee recommendations. Usage began after Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859.[8] | 1859 |  | [1] [9] |
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal | American beaver (Castor canadensis) | Found in most of the larger streams and rivers in Oregon, the beaver is the largest of the North Americanrodents. Once overtrapped by early settlers and prized for itsfur, populations have recovered through management and partial protection. Oregon is known as "The Beaver State" andOregon State University's athletic teams are called theBeavers.[10][11] | 1969 |  | [12] |
| Crustacean | Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) | Based on lobbying from school children at Sunset Primary School inWest Linn, Oregon, and citing its importance to the Oregon economy, the Oregon State Legislature designated the Dungeness crab as the state crustacean in 2009. | 2009 |  | [13] |
| Fish | Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) | Salmon was essential for the coastal Native Americans' life, and was the subject of manylegends andtaboos. The largest of the Pacific salmon, the Chinook provides both sport and commercial fishing, but is under threat fromdams and fishing. | 1961 |  | [14] |
| Flower | Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium) | Native to the North American west coast, the Oregon-grape is anevergreenshrub that contains small purplish-black fruits that were included in smaller quantities in the traditional diets ofPacific Northwestaboriginal peoples. Today they are sometimes used to makejelly, alone or mixed withsalal berries, another berry native to the Northwest.[15] | 1899 | _Berberis_aquifolium_-_Flowers.jpg) | [16] |
| Fruit | Pear (Pyrus) | Pearorchards flourish in Oregon's river valley growing regions, producing about 800 million pears per year. Pears are Oregon's number one tree fruitcrop. | 2005 |  | [17] |
| Insect | Oregon swallowtail (Papilio oregonius) | Containing the wordOregon in both its common and scientific names, this swallowtail species is native to the Northwest region, primarily found in thesagebrush canyons of theColumbia River and its tributaries. | 1979 |  | [18] |
| Microbe | Brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) | S. cerevisiae has been instrumental to winemaking, baking and brewing since ancient times as theyeast behind the most common type of fermentation. It is a unicellular fungus about 5–10 micrometres in diameter. In addition to its role in food production, the yeast is used as amodel organism for the study of aging, genomics, and other topics. | 2013 |  | [2] [19] |
| Mushroom | Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) | Most known for its "golden hue, chalice shape and delicate woodsy flavor", the Pacific golden chanterelle is afungus found throughout Oregon's conifer forests.Tillamook State Forest annually produces one of the world's largest chanterelle harvests. | 1999 |  | [20] |
| Nut | Hazelnut | Hazelnuts, also known as filberts, are produced in commercial quantities in Oregon, which has an ideal climate for growing thenuts. According to the state, Oregon'sWillamette Valley is home to 99% of the U.S. hazelnut industry. | 1989 |  | [21] |
| Raptor | Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) | "Designated state raptor by the2017 Legislature, declaring the large bird with its striking markings to be a fitting symbol of Oregon's rugged independence, strength and resilience, evoking Oregon’s lakes, rivers, streams and ocean". | 2017 |  | [22] |
| Seashell | Oregon hairy triton (Fusitriton oregonensis) | Namedoregonensis byconchologist John Howard Redfield in 1846 to honor theOregon Territory, the Oregon hairy triton is covered with bristlyperiostracum and found along theWest Coast, washing up at high tide.[23] | 1991 |  | [1] [9] |
| Songbird | Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | Unofficially chosen as the state bird in 1927 by Oregon's school children in a poll sponsored by the Oregon Audubon Society, the western meadowlark is native throughout western North America and is known for its "distinctive and beautiful song."[24] However, the Governor's proclamation based on the poll was never ratified by the Oregon Legislature. In order to correct this oversight, the western meadowlark was voted State Songbird in 2017.[25] | 2017 |  | [26] |
| Tree | Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) | Named afterDavid Douglas, a Scottishbotanist who traveled through Oregon in the 1820s, the Douglas-fir is an evergreenconifer dominant throughout the region, occurring in nearly all forest types and able tocompete well on most parent materials and slopes. Due to its "strength, stiffness and moderate weight", the species is an invaluable timber product. | 1939 |  | [9] |
| Vegetable | Potato | Potatoes are the number one vegetable produced in Oregon, with over 2.7 billion pounds grown annually. | 2024 |  | [27] |
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fossil | Metasequoia | Dawn redwood flourished in theMiocene epoch and would become one of the most abundantly found fossils in Oregon today. While long extinct in the state, paleontologists discovered living 100-foot (30 m)Metasequoia trees in China more than 50 years ago and brought live trees back to the U.S. for propagation, thus ensuring their continued survival. | 2005 |  | [28] [29] |
| Gemstone | Oregon sunstone | Sunstones areplagioclasefeldspars, which when viewed from certain directions exhibit abrilliant spangled appearance. The gemstone has increased tourism and economic development in southeastern Oregon, attracting collectors and miners to the region. | 1987 |  | [28] |
| Rock | Thunderegg | Nodule-likegeological structures similar togeodes, thundereggs are rough spheres found throughout Oregon, the largest deposits found inCrook,Jefferson,Malheur,Wasco andWheeler counties.[30] The world's largest thunderegg, a 1.75 ton specimen, is housed by theRice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Oregon.[31] | 1965 |  | [1] |
| Soil | Jory soil | A very deep, well-drainedsoil that forms incolluvium derived frombasicigneous rock and found in the foothills surrounding theWillamette Valley. These soils have been mapped on more than 300,000 acres (1,200 km2) in westernOregon and are named for the Jory family, who settled in the area in 1852 after traveling along theOregon Trail. Jory soils are productive forest soils that support Oregon's stands ofDouglas fir andOregon white oak, as well as many Oregon crops, includingChristmas trees,berries, filberts,grass seed, and the grapes used in theOregon wine industry. | 2011 |  | [32] [33] |
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverage | Milk | Milk was recognized as the state's beverage because the production and manufacture of dairy products are major contributors to Oregon's economy.Tillamook County is particularly known for its dairy farms. Water had also been proposed as the state beverage in the same legislative session, but that proposal was tabled in favor of milk.[6] | 1997 |  | [34] |
| Dance | Square dance | Afolk dance with four couples (eight dancers) arranged in a square, the "lively spirit of the [square] dance exemplifies the friendly, free nature and enthusiasm that are a part of the Oregon Character." The "Oregon Waltz" had been proposed as the state waltz in 1997, but the proposal was rejected.[6] | 1977 |  | [5] |
| Father | Dr.John McLoughlin | McLoughlin was thechief factor of theColumbia Fur District of theHudson's Bay Company atFort Vancouver. In the late 1840s his general store inOregon City was famous as the last stop on theOregon Trail. He became designated as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in theOregon Country. | 1957 |  | [35] [36] |
| Hostess | Miss Oregon | Founded in 1947 as the Miss Oregon Pageant by merchants in the coastal city ofSeaside,[37] the competition is a regional scholarship contest andbeauty pageant that selects the representative for Oregon in theMiss America pageant. The annual event includes contestants from across the state and awards scholarships to the participants. | 1969 |  | [38] |
| Mother | Tabitha Moffatt Brown | Brown was a pioneer emigrant who traveled the Oregon Trail to the Oregon Country, where she helped to foundTualatin Academy, which would grow to becomePacific University inForest Grove, Oregon.[39] Brown was titled the "Mother of Oregon" for representing the "distinctive pioneer heritage and the charitable and compassionate nature of Oregon's people." | 1987 |  | [35] |
| Song | "Oregon, My Oregon" | In 1920, the Society of Oregon Composers held a competition to select a state song. The winning entry was a collaboration between lyricist John Andrew Buchanan and composer Henry Bernard Murtagh.[40] | 1927 |  | [41] |
| Statehood pageant | Champoeg Historical Pageant | Each summer,[citation needed] the Champoeg Historical Pageant takes place at Champoeg State Park, where the first Oregon government was formed. TheOregon Parks and Recreation Department encourages the development of the pageant and promotes increased attendance at its performances. | 1987 |  | [1] |
| Tartan | Oregon tartan | Designed by Robbie Harding of Bend
| 2017 | [42] | |
| Team | Portland Trail Blazers of 1990–1991 | The Trail Blazers of 1990–1991 were designated as the official team of Oregon for their success in setting a franchise record of 63 victories, including a 16-game winning streak. | 1991 |  | [43] |
While most states have an officialnickname, the Oregon Legislature never officially adopted one. Oregon's unofficial nickname is "The Beaver State".[10][44] Unofficial tourism advertising for Oregon has included the slogans "Things Look Different Here" and "Oregon, We Love Dreamers", the latter of which alludes to the "basic sense of idealism" of the state's culture.[45] In the 1950s and 60s, Oregon license plates featured the unofficial motto, "Pacific Wonderland".[46]
Several symbols have been proposed for addition to the list of official state symbols but were never adopted. The "Oregon Waltz" was approved as the state waltz by the Oregon House in 1997, but the proposal did not succeed in the Senate.[6] In 2001, legislation designating theKiger Mustang, a horse breed unique to southeastern Oregon, as thestate horse was introduced, but not adopted.[47] It was suggested in 2003 that Oregon have an officialstate tartan, but the bill never passed out of committee, with a state tartan finally being adopted in 2017.[48][49]
